Contents

Introduction

Your credit cards: gone. Bus pass and train tickets: vanished.Welcome to Near Field Communications (NFC), a contactless, Wi-Fi-lite style tech that could already be in your smartphone, and could soon be a regular feature of your commute.

Near Field Communications(NFC) is a set of short-range wireless technologies, typically requiring a distance of 10cm or less, for two devices such as smartphones or the similar things very close to each other to establish communication. Communication is also possible between a NFC device and unpowered NFC chips such as tags, stickers, key fobs and cards which do not require batteries.

The NFC Module for Arduino is designed to extend this powerful feature for your project or application based on Arduino.It integrates a PN532 NFC controller from Philips.The driver interface for this product is UART interface of the microcontroller. So it's possible for you to test it via a USB to UART converter directly. On the other hand, for the applications with microcontroller, the module provides an event for your processor when detects the NFC tags, stickers, key fobs, or cards via high speed serial uart.

Applications

Contactless payment systems

Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connections

Social networking situations, such as sharing contacts, photos, videos or files

Electronic identity documents and keycards

Smartphone automation and NFC tags

Specification

Working Voltage: 3.3v or 5v

Host interface: UART

Integrate PN532 NFC controller

Supports ISO 14443A/MIFARE

Supports ISO 14443B in reader/writer mode only

Typical max operating distance for detecting NFC tags from 20 to 50mm depending on the antenna *size of the tag

FAQ

Q1. I just bought the Arduino NFC Module and it works great with the tag it came with but it doesn't recognize at all any of my NFC Whiztags anyone knows how can I fix that?

A1. Hi, maybe your tag is not compatible with our NFC module, or saying it doesn't support ISO 14443A/MIFARE or ISO 14443B, I didn't find any datasheet about Topaz 512 Chip which your tag uses.

Q2. I connected this module with a UNO, and changed the code from Serial1.xxx() to Serial.xxx() to adapt them. I found the Serial output became very chaotic. Hence that I tried to use SoftwareSerial.h on Pin10 & 11 to send the command, however it never success. I can read nothing from UNO. I realised it was the limitation that the Arduino RX can only accept 57600 bps less that the NFC module requirement: 115200 bps. What should I do then?

A2. Sorry, there is no other way but use the hardware serial to send the command to NFC module, and to monitor the NFC reading info, please use SoftwareSerial.h through a USB-Serial adapter or other method like a LCD module etc.

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